TALC's primary interest in the policy arena is in policy development in matters of work organisation, skills, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks across transport and logistics. Our main focus is on intermediation as a form for policy development in government - Commonwealth, State and Local. Based on collaboration, empowerment and innovation in all things.

Governments and companies in many countries today find themselves in unchartered waters as they attempt to redefine their role, including how they relate to business strategies, shareholders and to citizens more broadly. In government there is currently serious questioning of what are the appropriate structures, institutions, processes and organisational relationships required in an environment placing much more emphasis on collaboration with partners within the public sector and also outside it.

Collaboration between governments could herald a new phase of federalism. If ‘cooperative federalism’ is about microeconomic reform and structural efficiencies, ‘collaborative federalism’ is about sharing intent, sharing goals and agreeing on delivery responsibilities. This new phase of federalism is likely to focus on social policies, national security and bio-security, the environment, infrastructure and communication. Above all, it is likely to dispense with the notion that ‘government knows best’, replacing it not just with intergovernmental agreements, but with community involvement in policy design and delivery. It could be more messy, but also more realistic and more results-based

[Donahue, J On Collaborative Governance, Working Paper No. 2, March 2004, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University]

The pieces on a "go" chess board are called "stones". Each stone links with every other stone of the same colour. As the stones connect, so does the extent of the territory covered and captured by the player. The ability of the player to see the many linkages well ahead of the game is the difference between winning and losing territory. The stones must be placed in a collective and "collaborative" manner in order to build territory.

Who we are

TALC is not-for-profit think tank and research group based in Australia. We specialise in "wicked" policy and business problems and workplace mediation. read more